Prompt
/pʁɔmpt/masculine
The English term 'prompt' (referring to textual input given to an LLM) is translated into German as Prompt. Wiktionary also lists KI-Anweisung.
Meaning: textual input given to a LLM (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Prompt | /pʁɔmpt/ | masculine |
| KI-Anweisung | feminine |
In technical or casual contexts, German speakers often use the English loanword Prompt to refer to a textual input given to an AI.
Which one should you use?
While Prompt is common in tech circles, KI-Anweisung is a more formal, descriptive German term for an AI instruction.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As a masculine noun, Prompt takes the accusative article den when it is the direct object of a sentence (e.g., Ich schreibe den Prompt).
How do you pronounce it?
/pʁɔmpt/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may mistakenly use the German adjective prompt (meaning quick/punctual) when they actually mean the noun for an AI input. In German, the noun is capitalized.
Did you know?
- In German, the term Prompt Engineering is used almost exclusively in English, as there is no widely accepted translated equivalent for the profession.
- The word Anweisung in KI-Anweisung carries a much more authoritative tone, similar to a 'command' or 'directive' rather than a mere suggestion.
- The word prompt originates from the Latin prōmptus, which literally meant 'brought forth' or 'brought to light'.
Examples in context
- Bitte sei pünktlich zur Besprechung im Konferenzraum.Please be prompt for the meeting in the conference room.
- Wir erwarten eine zeitgerechte Lieferung der Bestellung.We expect a prompt delivery of the order.
- Lass uns fix das Problem lösen.Let's promptly solve the problem.
- Der Prompt ist zu kurz.The prompt is too short.
- Ich verbessere jetzt den Prompt.I am improving the prompt now.
- Dieser Prompt liefert keine guten Ergebnisse.This prompt does not yield good results.
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are working on a project with AI.
- JuliaMaximilian, die Antwort der KI ist nicht gut.Maximilian, the AI's answer is not good.
- MaximilianVielleicht war mein Prompt zu kurz.Maybe my prompt was too short.
- JuliaVersuch es doch mit mehr Details.Why don't you try it with more details.
- MaximilianJa, ich schreibe den Prompt jetzt um.Yes, I am rewriting the prompt now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prompt” translations and entries Prompt, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Prompt, prompt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
